Lock, latch, and fastener



April 16, 1935. ROBERTS 1,998,288

LOCK, LATCH, AND FASTENER Filed Dec. 12, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. 7

8 Q i 5 6 2 mm 1-,. 11 M1, 50 1 10 1 Q 1H1 film: T7 1' 23 LII" L M 14A 9f 11 3 2 13 v INVENTOR fie /na/d faberfis ATTORNEY.

April 16, 1935. R. ROBERTS 1,998,288

LOCK, LATCH, AND FASTENER Filed Dec. 12, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 8 Fig.7.

4' 41 42 32 0 31 37 35A H H 1H1 35 i Fig. 8. F g 9 8A 8 9 13 5 49 I0 26l 12 v x 23 3 1 m I5'* 4 5 & 76A 19 I 33 v 35 51A nw/d @berva IN VE NTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED! STATES LOCK, LATCH, AND FASTENER ReginaldRoberts, London, England Application December 12, 1933, Serial No.701,947 In New Zealand December 17, 1932 1 14 Claims.

1 This invention concerns improvements in looks, latches, and fasteners,and although the invention is applicable to looks, latches, andfasteners, for many purposes and of many kinds, e. g. tumbler locks andthe like, night latches, control locks for doors and windows and thelike, switches,

against rotation relative to its housing except 1 when the key has beeninserted in the cylinder,

and in which the latch bolt is operable from the inside of the door by aknob.

- Usually such a latch is provided on the inside of the door witha'safety catch which can be operated to prevent movement of the latchbolteither to its locking position or from such position. With a latchof this kind hitherto it has been possible for an intruder to break theglass in a dooror to make a hole in the door and to pass his handthrough the latter, to release the safety catch (if necessary) and tooperate the said knob and withdraw the latch bolt from the staple on thedoor jamb and so free'the door for opening.

In such latches the cylinder into which the lock key is inserted or thesaid knob has no positive connection with thelatch bolt and althougheither will, on being suitably operated, draw the latch bolt into thelatch casing, neither the cyl inder nor the knob can prevent the latchbolt being withdrawn from the co-operating staple, as for example by theinsertion of a blade of steel between the door and door jainb to pressback the latch bolt.

It is one object of this invention to provide an improved form of lock,latch, or fastener,

while a further object of this invention is to pro-- vide a latch whichcan be locked if desired in such a manner as to be openable only by apre-,

determined key. A still further object of this invention is to provide alatch for doors or the like which can be locked irom the inside of thedoor and/or from the outside thereof so as to be releasable only by apredetermined key from the side of the door at which the latch waslocked.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood'and readilycarried into practice, I have appended hereto two sheets of drawings,illustrating the same, in which:

Figure l is an elevation of a night latch with 5 the back plate removed,

Figure 2is an inside elevation of the back plate showing a latch controlplate,

Figure 3 is an end view of the parts shown in Figure 2, r g Figure 4 isa part cross sectional view of the thumb and finger latch control forthe latch shown in'Figure 1, V Figure 5 is an end View of the same part;

Figure 6 is a part cross section of an outside cylinder tumbler lock foruse with the .night latch shown in Figure 1,

Figure '7 is an end view of the same, Figure 8 shows an alternativelocking bar, and Figure 9 is a part sectional plan of the cylindertumbler lock and the night latch as fitted to a door;

The latch bolt (Figure 1) has two guide rods 2130 which is-secured atthe inner ends a one piece pressureplateB. The guide rods v2 are loadedby springs i pressing against a keeper plate 5 held in position by lugs6 attached to a housing 1.

A snap catch 8 of the usual type and having knob 8A, Figure 9, isprovided with a lug 9 to engage against a lug Ill on latch bolt I tohold the latter in a withdrawn or in a locked position as desired. v

A thumb and finger latch control knob vl l (Figures 4, 9 and 10) issecured to a control plate,

12 and has lugs I3, which are adapted to engage with ears or extensionpieces I i (Figures 1 and 9) on plate This enables the latch bolt l tobe withdrawn in the usual manner by turningthe knob ll in eitherdirection. ,r

A'cover plate 15 (Figures 2, '3 and 9) is securedto' the latch housing"I by. a screw IGA passing through a-hole i 6 andscrewing into anextended boss I! attached to housing 1 in the. usual manner. r

A control plate I8 is attached to the cover plate l5 by a sleeve. iii towhich it is riveted and this plate l8 is operable from a tumblerlock tobe, described. g

When the cover plate 15 is in position lugs 20' on the plate I8 engagewith extension'pieces MA on the plate or member 3.

The knob ll (Figures 4 and 9) is fitted with a cylinder 2! which has anoval collar'2 2'at one} end and is fitted with a locking bar 2 3 at theopposite end, which bar is held, in position by a keeper'plate 24, andscrews 25. Between the keep plate 24 and control plate I2'is fittedacom- A to |2A in control plate |2 and has a sliding fit in the same.

The knob is formed so as to take a cylinder or part 2| which is asliding fit therein, and the knob has an oval recess in the outer end totake a collar 22 on the cylinder 2! The cylinder 2! and knob I when bothare in the position shown in Figure 4, are bored and fitted with twotumblers each in two parts respectively marked 21 and 21A, 28 and 28Aand springs 23. Any predetermined number of tumblers may be used.

The cylinder 2| and collar 22 have a keyway- 3| cut somewhat as shown inFigure 5 V Y The tumbler lock 3! shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9 comprises ahousing 3|A provided with a circular flange 32 housed in adistance piece33 1 adapted for mounting on a door. Eccentr-ically in the housing ismounted a cylinder 34, which has a circular collar 35 at the outer endand is fitted with a locking bar 36 at the other end, which bar is heldin position by a keep plate 3-1 and screws 38. The bards consists of a Theaded bolt 35A screwed into a square sectioned bar 36 and provided witha lock nut 363 for locking the bolt and bar in proper adjustment to suitthe particular thickness of the door to which the device is fitted.Alternatively the bar 36 may be replaced by a one piece bar 350 (Figure8) made a long enough to allow or" it being cut to a length to suit thethickness of the door.

When the housing 3|A and cylinder 34 are in the position as shown inFigure 6 they are bored and fitted with any predetermined number oftumblers 39 and necessary springs 49. These are held in position by aretaining cover plate 4| Figure 9 is as follows:-

which is recessed into flange 32 at one end of the housing and securedat the other end to the latter by a screw 52. p

The cylinder 34 and collar 35' have a keyway 45 "somewhat as shown inFigure '7.

The lock latch, and a keeper (Figure 9) are fitted to a door 5| and doorjamb 5|A as shown in Figure 9 while the latch housing has the additionof a right angled flange 44 which is also screwed The tumbler lock 3| isheld in position in the door by screws 45 passing through the door andscrewing into lugs t5 and tightening against a plate 4-! through whichthe screws also pass. compression spring 48 is fitted between the sleeveI9 and keeper plate 31 and the length of the locking bar '35 isdetermined and'adjusted before the latch housing is screwed in place;

The operation of a 'latch'such as is shown in With the locking bars 23and 36 in the positions shown in full lines 'at Figure 9 the night latchI is free to function substantially in theway normal for latches, thelatch bolt being capable of retraction by either the knob I or by a keyrotating the locking bar 36 and the'co-ntrolplate' l8. The latch boltcan be locked in a retracted position or in engagement with the staple49 by means 3 of the catch BA. Also the door can be pushedor-pulled toand is self-latching in the axially inwards against the pressure ofspring 48, after which he holds the cylinder in its innermost position(in which flange 35 abuts housing 32) and withdraws his key thusenabling tumblers 39 to lock the cylinder in the inner position in whichlocking bar 35 occupies the dotted position shown in Figure 9 andpositively prevents the retraction of the latch bolt. The latch bolt cannow be operated only from the outside of the door and then only byfreeing the cylinder 34 by the proper key and allowing the cylinder toreturn to its outer position after which it can be turned by the key toretract the latch bolt from the staple 49. Until the cylinder hasreturned to its outer position, operation of knob II will not actuatethe latch bolt.

The latch bolt can be positively locked from the inside of thedoor bypressing (without a key) the cylinder or part 2| inwardly relative tothe knob H and so causing the locking bar 23 to move into the dottedposition shown in Figure 9 to prevent the withdrawal of the latch bolt,the locking bar being secured in this position by the tumblers 21A, 28A,which engage in the cylinder or part 2| with a snap action. To releasethe cylinder or part 2| for returning to its normal position by thespring 26 the tip of the key for the tumbler lock cylinder 34 isinserted into the keyway 3| to disengage tumblers 21A, 28A from thecylinder or part 2|. When the latch bolt is locked by bar 23 from theinside of the door the latter cannot be opened from the outside thereofeven by inserting the proper key in the cylinder 34 or by inserting thehand through the door to turn the knob. I

It is clear of course-that the locking bars 23, 36 also serve totransmit rotary movement respectively from the cylinders 2| and 34 tothe plates l2 and 8 for withdrawing the catch when desired.

The snap cylinder 25 and the locking bar 23 and parts connectedtherewith, possibly slightly modified, could readily and advantageouslybe applied to fasteners and ignition switches for motor vehicles andsuch a switch lock could be 0perable by the key provided for opening thecar doors which could be provided if desired with double or snap or suchlocking latches or looks according to this invention.

, It will be understood that should the door shown in Figure 9 blow toaclosed position it can be opened from the inside as hitherto without akey.

A latch according to this invention has all the advantages of the knownlatches plus the double or positive locking features explained above.

The inside double or positive locking device (with which looks, latchesor fasteners need not always be fitted) is especially devised to preventa person breaking a hole through a door and opening the latter byinserting a hand therethrough, i. e. to prevent the door being openedfrom the inside without the proper key.

A latch as shown in the annexed drawings can be withdrawn by a quarterof a revolution of either the knob H or the cylinder 34.

The plate 3 may have the lugs 58 which can be engaged respectively bythe locking bars 23 and 36 when these are in their inner positions toretain the latch bolt in the retracted position so that the members 23and 24 can either lock positively the bolt in its projecting position orin its withdrawn position. I

If desired the knob H and element 2| could have a full sequence oftumblers similar to the cylinder 34 and it's'housing 3|, and this is insome instances advantageous and facilitates the key being withdrawn fromthe element 2 i.

It will readily be appreciated that the form of a lock or latch orfastening according to this invention may be varied to suit differentdoors and circumstances without departing from the scope of thisinvention as set forth in the claims.

What'I claim is:- 1

l. A fastener including a latch bolt, a rotary element for retractingsaid latch bolt, means for locking said element against rotation, saidmeans being releasable by a key to enable saidelement to be rotatedtoretract said latch bolt, said element being movable endwise parallel tothe axis of rotation of said element to efifect locking of said latchbolt against movement and means for locking said element in the endwisedisplaced position in which it effects locking of the latch bolt, saidmeans being releasable by a key.

2. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, a rotatablecylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from the outside of the door,a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, means for locking saidcylinderagainst rotation relative to said housing, said means beingreleasable by a key, an axially movable member associated with saidknob, a locking member associated with said axially movable member, saidlocking member in one position preventing retraction of said bolt, andmeans for locking said axially movable member in the position in whichthe said locking member prevents retraction of the bolt, said meansbeing releasable by a key.

3. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the .door, an axiallymovable member associated with said knob, a locking member associatedwith said axially movable member, means, releasable by a key, forlocking said locking member in a position preventing retraction of saidbolt, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from theoutside of the door, a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, meansfor locking said cylinder against rotation relative to said housing,said means being releasable by a key, said cylinder being movableaxially, a locking member associated with said cylinder, said lockingmember in one position preventing retraction of said bolt, and means forlocking said cylinder in this position, said means being operable by thekey provided for freeing said cylinder for rotation.

4. A door look as claimed in claim 3, including spring means for movingsaid bolt locking members automatically out of the bolt locking positionwhen said members are released.

5. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axiallymovable member associated with said knob, a locking bar associated withsaid axially movable member, means for adjusting the length of saidlocking bar, said locking bar in one position of the axially movablemember preventing retraction of said lock bolt, means for locking saidaxially movable. member in this position, said means being releasable bya key, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from theoutside of the door, a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, meansfor locking said cylinder against rotation relative to said housing,said means being releasable by a key, said cylinder being movableaxially, a locking bar associated with said cylinder, means foradjusting the length of said locking bar, said locking bar in oneposition of said cylinder preventing retraction of said lock bolt, andmeans for locking said cylinder inthis position, said means beingoperable by the key provided for freeing saidcylinder for rotation;

6. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting saidlock bolt from the inside of the door, an axially movablemember associated with said knob, a locking bar associated with saidaxially movable member, said locking bar in one position of the axiallymovable member preventing retraction of said lock bolt, .means forlocking said axially movable member in this position, said means beingreleasable by a key, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retracting saidbolt from the outside of the door, a housing in which said cylinder ismounted, means for locking said cylinder against rotation relative tosaid housing, said means being releas able by a key, said cylinder beingmovable axially, a locking bar associated with said cylindensaid lockingbar in one position of said cylinderpreventing retraction of said lockbolt, meansfor locking said cylinder in this position, said means beingoperable by the key provided for freeing said cylinder for rotation, arotatable control plate for each of said locking bars, each controlplate being rotatable with its locking bar but said bar being slidableendwise relative to said plate, a pressure plate associated with thelock bolt, said pressure platebeing engageable by either of said controlplates to operate said bolt.

'7. Afastener including a latch bolt, a rotary element for retractingsaid latch bolt, a rotary control plate for said rotary element, part ofsaid element being movable endwise parallel to the axisof rotation ofsaid elementto effect locking of said latch'bolt against movementsaidcontrol plate being rotatable with said part which is slidablexendwiserelative to said plate, a pressure plate associated with the latch bolt,said pressure plate being engageable by said control plate to operatesaid bolt, and means for locking said part in the endwise displacedposition in which it effects locking of thelatch bolt, said means beingreleasable by a key.

8. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axiallymovable mem ber associated with said knob, a locking bar associated withsaid axially movable member, said locking bar in one position of theaxially movable member preventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumblermembers for locking said axially movable member in this position, saidtumbler members being releasable by a key, a rotatable cylinder adaptedfor retracting said bolt from the outside of the door, a housing inwhich said cylinder is mounted, said cylinder being movable axially, alocking bar associated with said cylinder, said locking bar in oneposition of said cylinder preventing retraction of said lock bolt,tumbler members in said housing for locking saidicylinder either in aposition in which it prevents retraction of the bolt or separately in aposition in which the bolt can be. retracted, and said tumbler membersbeing releasable, for permitting movement of the cylinder relativeto thehousing, and from either positiornby the insertion of a key in saidcylinder.

9. A door lock including a lock bolt, '2. rotatable knob adapted forretractingsaid lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axially movablemember associated with said knob, a locking bar associated with saidaxially movable member, said locking bar in one'position of the axiallymovable member preventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumbler membersfor locking said axially movable member in this position, said axiallymovable member having a keyway, and said tumbler members beingreleasable by the insertion of a key in said keyway, a rotatablecylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from the outside of the door,a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, said cylinder being movableaxially, a locking bar associated with said cylinder, said locking barin one position of said cylinder preventing retraction of said lockbolt, tumbler members in said housing for locking said cylinder eitherin a position in which it prevents retraction of the bolt or separatelyin a position in which the bolt can be retracted, said cylinder having akeyway, and said tumbler members being releasable, for permittingmovement of the cylinder relative to the housing, and from eitherposition by the insertion of said key in said keyway.

10. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted 'forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axiallymovable member associated with said knob, said movable member beingslidable against the action of a spring with a snap action into a lockedposition, means for locking said axially movable member in thisposition, a locking member associated with said axially movable member,said locking member preventing retraction of said bolt when the axiallymovable member is in the locked position, a rotatable cylinder adaptedfor retracting said bolt from the outside of the door, a housing inwhich said cylinder is mounted, means for locking said cylinder againstrotation relative to said housing, said means being releasable by a key,said cylinder being movable axially, a locking member associated withsaid cylinder, said locking member in one position preventing retractionof said bolt, and means'releasable by the said key, for locking saidcylinder in the position in which the locking bar prevents, theretraction of the bolt.

11. A door lock including a' lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axiallymovable mem er associated "with said knob, a locking bar associated withsaid axially movable member, said locking bar in one position of theaxially movable member preventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumblermembers for locking said axially movable member in the position in whichthe looking bar prevents retraction of the bolt, said tumbler membersbeing releasable by a key and comprising cylindrical spring pressed pintumblers, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from theoutside of the door, a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, saidcylinder being movable axially, a locking bar associated with saidcylinder, said locking bar in one position of said cylinder preventingretraction of said lock bolt, tumbler members in saidhousing for'lockingsaid cylinder either in a position in which the looking bar prevents theretraction of the bolt or separately in a position in which the bolt canbe retracted, said housing and said cylinder having alignable holes,spring pressed pin tumblers in said holes, a cover plate on said housingfor closing the open outer ends of said holes, and said tumbler membersbeing releasable, for permitting movement of the cylinder relative tothe housing, and from either position, by the insertion of 'a key insaid cylinder.

12. .A door lock including 'a lock bolt, a rotat able .knob adapted forretracting .said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axially movable member associated with said knob, a looking bar associated withsaid axially movable member, said locking bar in one position of theaxially movable member preventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumblermembers for locking said axially movable member in the position in whichsaid locking bar prevents retraction of the bolt, said tumbler membersbeing releasable by a key, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retractingsaid bolt from the outside of the door, a housing in which said cylinderis mounted, said cylinder being movable axially, a locking barassociated with said cylinder, said locking bar in one position of saidcylinder preventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumbler members insaid housing for locking said cylinder either in a position in which thebolt cannot be retracted or separately in a position in which the boltcan be retracted, said tumbler members being releasable, for permittingmovement of the cylinder relative to the hous ing, and from eitherposition, by the insertion of a key in said cylinder, a rotatablecontrol plate for each of said locking bars, each control plate beingrotatable with its locking bar but said bar being slidable endwiserelative to said plate, a pressure plate associated with the lock bolt,said pressure plate being engageable by either of said control plates tooperate said bolt.

13. A door lock including a lock bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside, of the door, an axiallymovable member associated with said knob, a locking bar associated withaxially movable member,

said locking bar in one position of the axially f movable memberpreventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumbler members for lockingsaid axially movable member in the position in which said locking barprevents'retraction of the bolt, said tumbler members being releasableby a key, a rotatable cylinder adapted for retracting said bolt from theoutside of the door, a housing in which. said cylinder is mounted, saidcylinder being movable axially, a locking bar associated with saidcylinder, said locking bar in one position of said cylinder preventingretraction of said lock bolt, tumbler members in said housing forlocking said cylinder either in a position to pre vent retraction of thebolt or separately in a position in which the bolt can be retracted,said tumbler members being releasable, for permitting movement of thecylinder relative to the housing, and from either position, by theinsertion of a key in said cylinder, either of said locking bars beingmovable to lock said bolt and the bolt only i being unlocked foroperation by releasing the tumbler members associated with the lockingbar moved originally to lock the bolt.

14. A door lock including a lock'bolt, a rotatable knob adapted forretracting said lock bolt from the inside of the door, an axiallymovable member associated with said knob, a locking bar associated withsaid axially movable member,

said locking bar in one position of the axially movable memberpreventing retraction of said lock bolt, tumbler members for locking.said axially movable member in the position to prevent retraction of thebolt, said tumbler members being releasable by a key, a rotatablecylinder adapted for retracting said .bolt from the outside of the door,a housing in which said cylinder is mounted, said cylinder being movableaxially, a locking bar associated with said cylinder, said lockingbarLin one position of said cylinder preventing retraction of said lockbolt, tumblerj members in said housing for looking said cylinder eitherin a position in which said locking bar prevents retraction of the boltor separately in a position in which the bolt can be retracted, saidtumbler members being releasable, for permitting movement of thecylinder relative to the housing, and from either position, by theinsertion of a key in said cylinder, a rotatable control plate for eachof said locking bars, each control.

10 plate being rotatable with its looking bar but said said locking barsbeing movable to prevent retraction of said bolt and the bolt only beingunlocked foroperation by releasing the tumbler members associated withthe locking bar moved originally to'lock the bolt.

REGINALD ROBERTS.

